Box for displaying jewelry and the like



April 2.5 1933- J. M. SH'IELDS 1,906,111

BOX FOR DISPLAYING JEWELRY AND THE LIKE Filed March 8,1930

I of jewelry, Watches, fountain Patented Apr. 25, 1933 PATENT OFFICE JOHN H. SHIELDS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOB TO I. H. NOBLE G 00., 01'

CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01 ILLINOIS BOX FOR DISPLAYING JEWELRY AND THE LIKE Applicationfllcd March 8,

My invention relates to 'a box adapted to serve not only as a. container when closed for an article of merchandise, but also when open to serve as a display support upon which 5 the article may be exhibited in a show case or upon a counter. Such boxes are usually rather small in size, ornamental in finish and are generally sold with the particular article displayed, which may be any one of many forms gens, pencils,

and various kinds of toilet artic es and other small and ornamental objects.

It is the purpose of-my invention to provide a container equipped with a collapsible display frame or rack which shall be substantial in construction, convenient to manlpulate, reliable in action and ornamental in appearance, and which in general shall be well adapted to serve the purposes and meet the requirements of the class of boxes above mentioned. With these ends in view, I have devised and invented the display box hereinafter described in detail, the essential elements of my invention being more particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a jewelry box to which my invention is applied;

Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the box on a plane indicated by the dotted line 22 of Fig. 1; and

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the display frame structure detached, viewed in a direction opposite to that of Fig. 1.

Like reference characters indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawing.

The body structure and cover of my novel display box may be of any suitable construction, such as the well-known form of jewelry 4 box illustrated in the drawing, which is well adapted for the reception and display of a wrist watch, or a bracelet, and which comprises a body member 1 and a cover 2 which are hinged together, preferably, though not 4 necessarily, by a snap hinge which in a wellknown manner acts to maintain the cover in one or the other of its extreme positions; one

opened and the other closed. In the present instance, it may be assumed that both the body member and lid are covered with .center of the spring 10 brings up against the 1930. Serial No. 434,183.

an ornamental covering, and the box cover lined as usual, and that the body member is provided with an ornamental collar strip 3 and the snap hinge is covered with an ornamental finishing strip of fabric 4,all in accordance with usual methods of construction of such containers.

Coming now to the novel display frame structure to which my present invention relates, the body structure includes the body member 1 and, in the present instance, though not necessarily, a sheet metal false bottom member 5 of such weight and dimensions that it fits the body member snugly and is securely retained therein by frictional engagement, although it may be positively secured to the box body if desired. At what will be termed the forward side of the box (opposite the hinge connecting the body and cover) this plate 5 is formed with an upright flange consisting of a lower portion 6 fitting snugly against the front side of the box body and a rearwardly and upwardly inclined upper portion 7 of which constitutes a hinge support for a display pad later to be described. The hinge support may be otherwise formed, however, as by being made an integral portion of the front side of the body member, or a part of one of the leaves of the snap hinge next to be described.

To this hinge support 7, the folding display frame or pad 8 is connected by a spring snap hinge 9 of well-known construction having leaves secured severally to said hinge support and the front edge of the display pad. The hinge leaves are connected by a bowed spring 10 which between its ends curves inwardly of the box around the pintle of the hinge and acts on opposite sides of a dead center position of the hinge leaves between upper and lower positions of the pad 8 to hold the pad alternatively either raised or lowered. In its upper display position the rolls of the hinge leaves to stop further upward movement and hold it in an inclined display position suitable for the advantageous display of articles on the pad, while in the lowered position bent end portions 16 of the pad which will again be referred to bring up against the upper face of the false bottom member 5 to stop movement of the pad in the opposite direction and hold it in a horizontal 5 position.

The pad 8, as indicated in the drawing, may conveniently consist of a sheet metal body member, marked 8, covered on top by an ornamental facing 11 of velvet, or other material carried downwardly around the edges, and a finishing sheet of paper 12 on the underside arranged to cover the edges of the fabric 11. The upper side of the plate 5 and exposed face of the hinge support are likewise covered with an ornamental facing 13 of suitable material. In the present instance, as illustrated, the hinge leaves are connected to the flange of the false bottom member and the pad member outside the facings of the members by lugs 14 struck up from the sheet metal of the connected parts passing through orifices formed in the hinge leaves and bent down to clamp such parts to the leaves.

As illustrated the pad is formed with opposite notches 15 at its ends a short distance back of the hinge line, which permits the above mentioned end portions 16 of the pad to the rear of the notches to be bent as desired, whereby its size and shape may be varied within limits to neatly fit a particular watch strap, or bracelet, or other article, or vary the inclination of the surface of the pad in closed position.

It will be observed that when the pad is depressed the stress of the spring hinge will cause the end portions of the pad, bent down' to form legs, as shown, to yieldingly bear on any portion of any article carried by the pad extending downwardly beneath the legs (such as the loop of the strap of a wrist watch, a bracelet, or like article), securing the article against movement. The thickness of any such underlying portion of the pad may vary the level of the surface of the pad, and as before explained the end portions of the pad may be bent to vary the elevation and inclination of the closed pad as desired. The employment of sturdy and substantial supporting and pad members and the provision of the flange which forms the hinge support at the forward side of the false bottom member, whereby necessary space is provided for the curved spring of the very eflicient and serviceable snap hinge employed, render the collapsible pad structure durable and reliable in operation and particularly suitable for the purposes for which it was designed.

I claim:

1. In a jewelry box, a sheet metal false bottom formed with an upright flange having at its top an inclined portion adjacent the front edge of the box constituting a hinge support, a display pad, and a snap spring hinge pivotally connecting said support and 55 pad, said hinge acting to yieldingly stress said pad alternatively either to a stopped inclined display position or horizontal lowered position.

2. A jewelry box including a body structure having a collapsible display pad pivotally connected to the forward side of said body structure adjacent its top edge, and spring hinge means for yieldingly stressing said pad alternatively either to a stopped inclined display position or lowered horizontal position, said pad being provided with depending-leg elements arranged to be arrested by the bottom of the box when the pad is in lowered position.

3. A jewelry box adapted to display articles provided with a strap, said box including a collapsible display pad pivotally connected to the forward side of the body structure adjacent its top edge, and spring hinge means for yieldingly stressing saidpad alternatively either to a stopped inclined display position or lowered horizontal position, said pad being provided with depending leg elements arranged to clamp the strap of the contained article against the bottom of the box when the pad is in lowered position.

In testimony whereof, I have subscribed my name.

JOHN M. SHIELDS. 

